What Code Changes Do You Have To Make To Wordpress Template To Upgrade To Php

All websites are running on lawmaking. In the old days, information technology was pure HTML, today information technology's usually a mix of that plus CSS and JavaScript.

Withal, that'due south only once they are loaded. On the server, a dissimilar programming language is likely running the scene, specially if you accept a WordPress website. We are, of course, talking about PHP.

Nigh of the things you see on both the front and back finish of your WordPress site exist thanks to PHP. You don't only find information technology in your page templates, information technology also makes up the files that build the WordPress dashboard.

The same is truthful for whatever themes and plugins you may have installed. In brusque, without PHP your WordPress website would not exist.

Because this programming language is then cardinal to the WordPress platform, today nosotros want to talk about something that many of united states deal with too rarely: how to update the PHP version of your site.

What, you didn't know that was even part of running a website? That's exactly why this post exists. In it you lot volition learn a fiddling more most PHP equally a language and why it'south important to run the latest version, how to cheque your site'due south PHP and how to upgrade it safely.

Ready to get a little nerdy? And so let'southward dive correct into information technology.

Table of Contents

A Short Overview of PHP as a Programming Language
Why Update the PHP Version of Your WordPress Site?
How to Check Your WordPress Site's PHP Version?
How to Upgrade PHP Safely
Summing Up

A Short Overview of PHP every bit a Programming Language

Only so you know what nosotros are talking about, let's kickoff dive into what PHP is exactly.

First of all, it'south a programming language that is open source and thus (like WordPress) free to use. That might also contribute to the fact that PHP is ane of the most popular languages for web development. It not only runs the scenes behind WordPress but is as well a office of Facebook and other popular sites. Even so, you can use information technology for other purposes likewise.

A 2nd important thing nearly PHP is that it'south a server-side programming language. That ways, information technology is processed on the motorcar whose difficult bulldoze information technology lies on. That is opposed to client-side languages like JavaScript, where all the piece of work happens in the browser of the person requesting to run across your site.

However, that also means that any problems with site performance that stalk from PHP are yours to fix. Your visitors can have the fastest computer in the world, all the same, if your server is low on resource, that's not gonna make much of a difference. Which brings united states of america to the next part.

Why Update the PHP Version of Your WordPress Site?

Because PHP is so of import to WordPress, it's as well a cardinal part of site functioning. After all, PHP is basically the heart man pulls the correct data from your database, wraps it in HTML and CSS and and then delivers information technology every bit a finished site to the visitor'southward browser. If the middleman is dull, so is everything else.

PHP Updates Mean Improvements

For that reason, the programming language is constantly beingness improved upon. It has seen quite a bunch of versions throughout the years.

To run WordPress, your server needs at least PHP 5.2.4. Still, by now the official recommendation is that you run PHP seven.4 or higher (the current version is PHP viii).

That's because, just like WordPress, new versions of PHP bring a lot of improvements with them. As it progresses, the languages gets more than secure, faster, leaner, less resource hungry and simply overall ameliorate. In fact, merely the jump from PHP 5.6 to PHP 7 was a great leap forward.

PHP 8 is the Best One Even so

It may not be the monster of an update PHP 7.0-7.4 was, but PHP eight has a lot to offering. Sorting through all that documentation and puzzling out the most important features can be difficult, then we've gathered it all here for you.

Though information technology may non exist super groundbreaking, PHP viii has several of import features you'll want to go gear up for. The JIT compiler opens up new horizons for the language. On a smaller scale, the new attributes, friction match expression, and functions will exist very useful for plenty of developers. And, of course, union types and named arguments.

Watch out for the breaking changes, but overall this update is adequately light on the major backwards-incompatible features.

See an in-depth dive into the newest features here.

Older Versions of PHP are No Longer Supported

In addition to the in a higher place, the lifetime of older PHP versions is running out. Agile support for version 7.4 ended Dec 2020. Security support will only exist provided until Dec 21, 2021.

Convinced yet? And those are simply the cliff notes. In that location's more crawly stuff that has improved in PHP 8 that you can acquire about hither. Withal, how exercise you figure out which PHP version your site is currently running on? I'm glad you asked.

How to Check Your WordPress Site'due south PHP Version

If you want to know which version of PHP currently powers your WordPress site, you have several means to find out. Let's go over them real quick.

ane. Check Your Hosting Management Panel

Your first selection is to bank check with your provider. In the back end of your hosting business relationship, there'due south likely a menu called PHP Settings, PHP Version Manager or something like. From hither, y'all can check which PHP version your site(s) are using.

Most ofttimes you are likewise able to upgrade to some other version here (more on that beneath) and practise things like edit PHP.ini. The latter is an of import file that allows you to make changes to server functionality.

two. Use a WordPress Plugin

Of course, in the WordPress ecosphere, you besides have plugins that tin practise the same for y'all. 1 of the easiest to utilize is Display PHP Version.

Pretty much all you have to do is install the plugin and activate it. You lot will then exist able to come across the current PHP version under At a Glance in the WordPress dashboard.

If it turns out that your server is already running the latest version, in that location'due south goose egg to practise simply grinning happily and move on with your day (or maybe send your provider's sysadmins a box of chocolates).

However, if yous have never dealt with this upshot before, chances are adept that the PHP version is non upwardly to appointment. In that example, we volition show you how to upgrade it safely in the following.

Of class, that requires that your provider offers the option to switch. If non, maybe it's time to find new hosting?

How to Upgrade PHP Safely

Equally cool every bit PHP viii is, there are some risks involved with upgrading. That more often than not means the possibility that yous accept code on your site (pregnant in WordPress cadre, themes, plugins, and scripts) that is not compatible with the new version.

If that is the case, when yous make the switch, all or parts of your site might break or at least show faulty behavior. That's why information technology's important to check this kind of thing beforehand and we will bear witness y'all how beneath.

Quick notation: the procedure laid out here is how to upgrade your alive site. Nonetheless, an even improve idea is to create a local copy of your site and run through information technology in one case on your computer. That way, you reduce the chance of running into any nasty surprises even further.

1. Back up and Update Everything

Every bit mentioned, bug with upgrading PHP unremarkably stem from older code that is no longer compatible with the newest version. The best solution: upgrade your site.

The WordPress community is a strong abet for using the latest version of PHP. For that reason, core, plugin, and theme developers make sure their work jive with information technology.

Consequently, the first footstep to make certain your site doesn't produce problems is to go on your site up to engagement. That's something yous should exercise either manner for security reasons.

And so, dorsum up your site and so click the upgrade push button wherever necessary. Do it now, I'll look.

2. Use a Plugin to Check for PHP Compatibility Problems

Done? Cool, then let's go on.

Even with upward-to-date WordPress and extensions, in that location is no guarantee that everything will go over smoothly. Thankfully, you don't take to but have to hope for the best. Instead, you tin test for incompatibility issues beforehand. How? With a plugin of grade.

WP Engine has released a free plugin in the WordPress directory, for just this purpose. It checks all the lawmaking on your site and reports any possible issues.

To apply PHP the compatibility plugin, yous first have to install information technology on your site in the usual way. When it's active, there will be a new carte detail nether Tools called PHP Compatibility. Hither, just cull the PHP version yous want to upgrade to. So select whether to browse but your agile plugins and themes or all extensions on your site.

update php version safely with php compatibility checker

Kickoff the scan. When done, the plugin volition present yous with a list of errors and warnings for your site. Information technology will even tell you the file name and line number where it encountered them.

From here, you can take action to supplant faulty plugins or themes or notice a different kind of solution (such as request the developer to update their piece of work). The plugin will also make suggestions.

By the way, if you take a plugin that is up to engagement but nonetheless flagged as incompatible, it might also exist a fake positive. WP Engine provides a list of plugins known to be flagged for compatibility issues when in that location aren't whatever. Then, take that into account.

iii. Upgrade Your Version of PHP

Once you have made certain that your site is, by all accounts, able to handle the switch, it'south time to really brand it.

In that location are several ways of doing that. 1 is via SSH commands. However, if you know how to practise this, you are probably not reading this article. Consequently, we won't be going over it. However, if you notwithstanding desire to learn well-nigh upgrading your server'due south PHP version via SSH, y'all tin do so hither.

Nosotros will go the easier way, which is to update your WordPress PHP version via the admin dashboard of your hosting provider. For example, in cPanel (which, by the way, is also based on PHP) it's equally easy as finding the menu detail PHP Version Managing director, navigating to your site's location, picking the version y'all want to modify to and hitting Salvage.

If your host is running Plesk, you can find out how to upgrade PHP hither. Unfortunately, for other admin panels, you lot will take to do your own search. Should you be unable to discover whatever such option, your host might have disabled it. In that case, you need to get in touch with your provider.

iv. Check Your Site

Once you have upgraded, the last affair to do is get dorsum to your site'due south forepart and have a look around. Bank check every page to meet if everything looks as information technology should and that parts of your site aren't disabled or like. Too, test the plugins you are using also as theme features. Withal, if you accept taken the precautions mentioned above, it'due south very unlikely that there was a problem.

And that'southward information technology. Congratulations! You simply successfully upgraded PHP for your WordPress site.

Summing Up

PHP is the gum that holds WordPress together. For that reason, it's important to keep it up to date. This will as well permit you lot to profit from increased speed and security.

Above, yous accept learned nigh PHP and why it is important to upgrade. We take talked about how you tin detect out which version your site is running and how to gear up it for updating. Plus, we have told you how to implement said upgrade via your hosting direction console.

If you lot have followed forth adept job! Your site is at present set for the future. To learn more almost PHP, check out our developers guide to PHP coding standards.

Have you updated PHP for your WordPress site? Which version were you running before? Did you have any issues? Let united states of america know in the comments section below!